1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to electrical terminals employed in connector assemblies, and in particular to methods and apparatus for removing the terminals from a first connector housing, without damage to those terminals, and preparing the terminals for insertion in a second connector housing. In particular, the present invention is directed to controlling the locking lance retention means formed with the terminal to prevent removal of the terminal once installed in a connector housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical terminals are typically installed in a connector housing which includes a terminal receiving cavity defined by one or more housing walls. A popular technique for retaining terminals within the housing, is to strike out a resilient locking lance from an outer surface of the terminal, the lance being formed to extend a predetermined amount above the terminal body. The housing wall adjacent the lance is provided with a window for receiving a free end of the lance, which engages an edge of the window to prevent withdrawal of the terminal from the housing cavity.
An example of this arrangement is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,954 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The terminal therein has a canted locking lance which is struck out at a given angle to extend in a rearward direction. The terminal is slidingly mounted in a cavity of a dielectric housing, through a rearward end of the housing. A top wall of the housing has a window formed therein communicating with the terminal receiving cavity. When the terminal is fully inserted in the cavity, its locking lance engages a window edge which is received between the lance and the terminal body, to prevent withdrawal of the terminal from the housing cavity. The lance, which is struck out from the terminal body, is sufficiently resilient to be collapsibly deflected by the housing wall during initial stages of terminal insertion, and thereafter resumes its outward deflection upon entering the housing window.
Heretofore, if an electrical connector installed in an electrical component was suspected of being faulty, the electrical wires terminated to the connector were cut, and a new connector was installed in place of the old. Today, however, there are a variety of situations where the terminals, once terminated to electrical wires, are sought to be preserved if at all possible. For example, in the past, when a particular terminal in a connector was suspected (after failing a test probe examination) that terminal was removed from the connector housing without regard to its reinstallation. Even if the terminal removal was only for the purpose of visual inspection, it was assumed that a new terminal would be installed in place of the old.
To remove terminals of the above-described type, an object such as a screwdriver, readily available to the operator, was inserted in the housing window to deflect and deform the locking lance, without regard for its reuse. The terminal was then withdrawn, severed from the electrical wire to which it is terminated, and a new terminal was installed at the end of the wire.
However, terminal replacement is not always possible. In certain installations, the the wire length cannot be shortened, or even extended by a wire splice (for purposes of circuit integrity, or difficulty in achieving a reliable wire splice). Further, with increasing miniaturization of electrical connectors and electrical terminals, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve a convenient reliable termination in a field condition. This is true, for example, of miniaturized electrical connectors having insulation displacing terminals which are terminated to very small wire gauges. Also, with increasing costs of gold and other precious metals employed in terminal construction, terminal reinstallation is desired since it saves discarding the terminal and stocking an inventory for repair personnel. Also significant time savings can be realized if a terminal can be reused. This is particularly true when, for example, in data connection circuits, where circuit positions must be changed within a connector housing.